Could possibly be how the two kits were tuned/set up. My Renowns are super resonant with a ton of sustain. I dampen them pretty heavily to get the sound I like in my little studio. They'll sing all day if I don't stop them somehow.One example of a huge difference I heard recently was listening to Zach Danziger play a set of Yamaha maple customs in power depths compared with his recent Gretch offerings and it was night and day. The long decay of the Yamaha is totally missing from the Gretsch.
. . . but I don't hear huge differences between well made modern drums. I hear different players making contemporary drums sound a little different due to touch and dynamic levels in most cases.
I'm bucking any trend of Gretsch being solely appreciated by older people. I have two sets and have changed my second set brand a handful of times over the years. My kids both play drums and they gravitate to my Gretsch USA set 99% of the time regardless of what the second set is.Recording studios buy gear that will appeal to the young bands that come in, to impress them. Whatever is coolest. A decade ago they had to have a rack full of two or three specific models of fancy compressor, even if the actual tracking was going to be done through a dbx or a plugin. It’s fashion, baby. Gretsch is mostly appreciated by old people.
I can hardly imagine that that is the norm. What kind of studios is he talking about? Small label jazz-studios? Big Label metal/rock-studios? Independet "we do everything"-label-studios? Not all studios have the same musical focus afaik. And quite often, artists bring their own drumsets in when recording. I doubt that Carlock, Guiliana, Colaiuta, Soan, Brazil, Blade et all do not use their Gretsch drums in studio but ... let's say ... Pearl or Tama or Yamaha.I've also had a huge! Studio guy tell me in writing that he rarely sees gretsch in the studio.
That's interesting. The only Gretsch drums I've had hands-on experience with was an old kit probably from the late 60s 4 piece they look like 6 ply Maple shells that had been rewrapped in a solid black finish.. I think they were rewrapped because there were holes on the inside of the shell for a different butt plate than what was on it and there were no holes in the plastic wrap. The shells we're also oversized I had to shop around with various head brands until I could find one that would fit over the shells without being too tight. It seems like it was remo that made one that was specifically for older shells that tend to be a slight bit larger than modern shells. I bought a new kit a couple of years ago and Brooklyn's where on my radar but I ended up getting Ludwig Club dateThere's something with their shells too. Not just their layers, but I swear they shells start out twice as thick and smashed down to size. They are the heaviest shells I've ever owned. When I first got them, I stripped off all lugs and compared everything to my PDPs. The PDP lugs weighed a ton by comparison, but the Gretsch shells, while only 1mm thicker were way heavier.
Studios generally do not have a “musical focus” unless you’re talking about like a Nashville studio that 99% records modern country, or a niche project studio like Daptone. And those endorsing artists do not necessarily play their endorsed brand in recordings. For one thing, they are professional enough to get their sound from pretty much any kit. For another, modern premium drums don’t necessarily sound all that different from each other. The idea that a world class endorser of one top brand would turn up their nose at another top brand is laughable.I can hardly imagine that that is the norm. What kind of studios is he talking about? Small label jazz-studios? Big Label metal/rock-studios? Independet "we do everything"-label-studios? Not all studios have the same musical focus afaik. And quite often, artists bring their own drumsets in when recording. I doubt that Carlock, Guiliana, Colaiuta, Soan, Brazil, Blade et all do not use their Gretsch drums in studio but ... let's say ... Pearl or Tama or Yamaha.
They biought them on reputation. I remember when I first joined this Forum, the number of people that thought Gretsch was for Jazz only. I said take a look at Steve Ferrone, and Mark Schulman. Two of the best rockin' drummers. Tom Petty and Pink.I mean like literally. How many chose Gretsch because of the slogan?
Me: Excuse me, Mr. Pro Engineer, why do you have Gretsch drums in your studio?
Mr. Pro Engineer: Because they have that "great Gretsch sound".
I'm guessing 0 to not many at all. They may have heard Gretsch drums and thought they were fantastic, but I have doubts about the slogan having anything to do with it.
Yes. What you are describing is a result of the 30 degree bearing edge. More shell resonance, less head resonance, overall less sustain.I didn't mean to ask why Gretsch drums sound great. Mostly I was just asking whether the sharp shell attack/low head resonance is due to the 30 degree bearing edge or not.
Even tho the DW jazz has maple gum, they still sound a little more resonant to me. The differences in construction to me are a 45 degree bearing edge, 1 extra ply, no silver sealer, different lugs and maybe the grain is rotated differently in each ply? From a pure material science perspective, I kinda doubt that the silver sealer does much to the sound.
Certainly hearing a Gretsch USA custom from the 80s with a 45 degree bearing edge would be the ultimate A/B test.
Help me out we have ALL read in Modern Drummer where endorsers of whatever have said that they have a gretsch kit at home that they dearly love. They NEVER go into detail.
EVER. Coming up I'd read this but say tell me why!. I've also had a huge! Studio guy tell me in writing that he rarely sees gretsch in the studio.
If they're good enough for Lars...in the studio... ;-)
I think you mean Rogers.Recording studios buy gear that will appeal to the young bands that come in, to impress them. Whatever is coolest. A decade ago they had to have a rack full of two or three specific models of fancy compressor, even if the actual tracking was going to be done through a dbx or a plugin. It’s fashion, baby. Gretsch is mostly appreciated by old people.